DanM Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 Not much time in the garage this weekend, instead I drove a couple of hours to Montreal with a friend to watch the Canadian Grand Prix qualifiers. I'm not an F1 fan, but when the event is so close to home it would be rude not to show up. The weather was terrible, but a good time was had, both at the track and in downtown Montreal in the evening. Got home early this afternoon and spent the rest of fathers day finishing the intake valves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPG Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 Quote I drove a couple of hours to Montreal with a friend to watch the Canadian Grand Prix qualifiers I saw Gilles in the rain there back in the 80's. One of the most amazing bits of driving I've ever seen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 46 minutes ago, MPG said: I saw Gilles in the rain there back in the 80's. It’s petty amazing how they keep it together in those conditions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 Next on my list is to clean out the Hydraulic Lash Adjusters (HLAs). To remove the plunger I used some long nose vice grips with some electrical tape on the end to protect them. Then I carefully separated and washed each of the parts with brake cleaner before wiping out the crud. Then gave each part a good blow out with compressed air before reassembling and priming with oil. I managed to finish 8 tonight and will hopefully finish the remainder tomorrow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Just an fyi, but the HLAs are very sensitive to the oil viscosity to stay pumped. They came out with a larger hole design as a bulletin from Mazda but as long as you stick to 5w30, it's fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 2 hours ago, MV8 said: stick to 5w30, it's fine Awesome! Thanks for the heads up, 5W 30 is what I’m using! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 Help, wisdom, advice and suggestions needed!!! While finishing the last 8 lifters I noticed that some of them are still "Springy" once pressurized and one of them must have been damaged during storing and will not fit back in. What to do? Lifters can be pretty expensive. I live in the real world with a limited budget and I am already way beyond what any sane person would invest into a 1.6 short nose MX-5 engine considering it's inherent limitations. My options: OEM "equivalent" lifters? Mazda OEM lifters? or Aftermarket performance lifters? Anyone with experience with OEM equivalent? Would I get away with cheaper lifters in the short term and then replace lifters and old cams when/if I decide to turbo? Or should I save and get new lifters and cams together? The down side to waiting and saving would mean that my build stops as I am still waiting for Westfield to resolve my outstanding issues. Million dollar question: What would you do, if it was your build and your cash? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin David Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 I'm the wrong person to ask about "if it were my cash." I put $10k into rebuilding an engine on a free car. Fortunately I was able to distract my wife from that by spending far more on the 7. If your long term plan is that 1.6 with 100k miles and possibly forced induction, I would not cheap out now -- performance, or at least "pretty good." Like whatever you'd want to be in there in the motor's final configuration. If you're planning to pull the engine and sell it, maybe go "equivalent." For my cash I prefer to "cry once." That said, I just googled it and the price range is staggering. Oof. Is it worth the extra $250-300 (freedom units, no idea how well that translates) to not pull your head again in the future? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV8 Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 I doubt you need a new HLA. Is the plunger falling out? Vaseline or a little grease. Suspect out of round on the end from being dropped or stepped on? Hold open end against open end of a "good" HLA to see if they line up, rotate one 90 deg and recheck or use a cheap 6 inch dial caliper from princess auto/hbf/ebay. Not out of round and the plunger is not falling out? Is the head bore nicked or gouged? Will a "good" HLA from another position go in ok or does it do the same thing? Are there little shavings or any roughness in the bore? How about a pic? You could buy a complete rebuilt or used head. Don't worry about spongy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastg Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 1.6 short nose MX-5 engine, that is a rare engine, has it had the 'fix'. I had an early 1990 MX-5 but it was after the short nose engines. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted June 22, 2022 Share Posted June 22, 2022 @DanM have you searched miata.net? If not, there is a lot of information on HLAs in the NA forum, from proper rebuilding/reassembling steps, troubleshooting after rebuilding, and aftermarket brands that people have used successfully. -John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 35 minutes ago, fastg said: has it had the 'fix' There was no crank wobble and when I disassembled it, the key way was in great condition. I bought a new key, pulley, bolt, etc. and will take care when I reassemble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 22, 2022 Author Share Posted June 22, 2022 6 minutes ago, JohnCh said: @DanM have you searched miata.net? If not, there is a lot of information on HLAs in the NA forum, from proper rebuilding/reassembling steps, troubleshooting after rebuilding, and aftermarket brands that people have used successfully. -John Thanks John, I will check it out. I will have another look at it tonight and hope that it was human error on my part! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 24, 2022 Author Share Posted June 24, 2022 Thanks for everyone's kind suggestions and personal messages. A quick update on the situation.... I decided to take out all the lifters and start again with the cleaning and oiling and thankfully they all fitted back in the head. Good news for me and means I can continue to rebuild the engine....a useful distraction while I await more news on the Westfield administration front and my remaining parts/snagging list. 🤞 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted June 27, 2022 Author Share Posted June 27, 2022 Continued with the cylinder head over the weekend, turning my focus to installing the camshafts. I gave the camshaft, caps and bolts a good clean with lacquer thinner and brake cleaner. Then gave the journals and lobes a good covering with assembly lube before installing them in the head and following the shop manual instructions for torqueing them down. Once they were both in and torqued, I opened my full engine gasket and seal kit from Treasure Coast Miata and installed the front camshaft seals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted July 1, 2022 Author Share Posted July 1, 2022 (edited) Happy Canada Day to all Canadian Members! Today I'm making the most of the public holiday and turning my attention the the block. This morning I gave it a good pressure wash inside and out. I took it to the machinist a while back to have the cylinders bored out and just wanted to make sure its totally cleaned out before I start the reassembly. After the wash I spent a good chunk of time drying it off inside and out with the compressor and covered the cylinders with a light coating of oil to prevent flash rust. Finally its back on the stand ready for a good micro clean before assembly. Edited July 1, 2022 by DanM 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 More cleaning and prep today. I took some time with the lacquer thinner on each or the cylinders walls and then followed up with some Automatic Transmission Fluid. The ATF both cleaned the surface and left a residue of oil to stop flash rust again. Next was the oil squirters. I simply sprayed them thoroughly with brakes parts cleaner, scrubbed with a a wire brush and blew with compressed air. When the stores open tomorrow I'll pick up some brass crush washers (I only have aluminium) then begin the install. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted July 5, 2022 Author Share Posted July 5, 2022 Not much to report today. I managed to get out to the local auto parts store to get some new crush washers and then installed the 4 oil squirters. Also, started to clean the crank shaft, so it can go straight in with the new bearings. New King bearings ready to be cleaned and installed next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted July 6, 2022 Author Share Posted July 6, 2022 I made concerted effort to install the crankshaft today. As always, I started out with by cleaning the parts with lacquer thinner again. They had already been cleaned a number of times, but I wanted to go over them one more time before starting assembly. First the block and end caps, followed by the crankshaft journals and new bearings. Then, the assembly could begin.... first the clean dry bearings into the end caps and block. This was followed by a generous coating of assembly lube on the new thrust bearings and all the mating surfaces. The crankshaft... Once everything was seated and positioned I inserted the end caps and slowly torqued down the bolts. I think I completed the torqueing in three increments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM Posted July 10, 2022 Author Share Posted July 10, 2022 With the crankshaft in place and a few hours to spare, this afternoon I installed the pistons into the cylinders. Here are the steps I went through for each of the pistons... Step 1 - Clean, Clean, Clean - Pistons, journals, rings, bearings and cylinders Step 2 - install the piston rings on to the pistons Step 3 - Install the bearings on to the rods and caps Step 4 - Assembly lube on bearings and journals Step 5 - Install Pistons Step 6 - Install Caps and torque nuts Step 7 - Breathe ... Cleaned and ready for assembly. I oiled each of the rings before installing them on the piston. Lube, Lube, Lube Ring compressor attached (Very awkward thing!!) and in position over the cylinder Tap, Tap, Tap... Et Voila!! 3 more to go!! Nearly there... Finally I torques all the nuts down to spec. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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